If you missed Monday’s post, I began describing the final rules issued by the Departments for employment-based wellness programs. The final rules introduce notable changes to health-contingent wellness programs. More >

Recently, the departments of Treasury, Labor, and Health and Human Services (the “Departments”) published the final rules for wellness programs offered in conjunction with group health plans. The rules implemented the Affordable Care Act (“ACA”) requirements. The regulations became finalized on August 2, 2013, and will apply to group health plans for plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2014. More >

On June 26, 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court, in United States v. Windsor, declared unconstitutional Section 3 of the federal Defense of Marriage Act (“DOMA”), which had prohibited the federal government from acknowledging marriages between same-sex couples. At the time of the ruling, same-sex marriages were recognized in 12 states and the District of Columbia. The decision does not require states to recognize same-sex marriages; Kentucky is among the states that do not. However, that does not mean that Kentuckians, specifically Kentucky employers, are insulated from the effects of this decision. More >

Our post on Monday detailed background information on a recent decision from the Kentucky Court of Appeals styled as Pennington v. Wagner’s Pharmacy, Inc. Before being heard by the Court of Appeals, the case was heard at the trial court, where the court had to consider whether the plaintiff, Melissa Pennington, was disabled as defined by the Kentucky Civil Rights Act due to morbid obesity. More >

Kentucky’s statutes, which are mirrored after the federal Americans with Disabilities Act, make it unlawful for an employer to discriminate against an employee due to a disability. KRS 344.040(1) and 207.150. In a recently-issued decision, the Kentucky Court of Appeals has greatly increased the potential liability exposure that employers may face with respect to discrimination clams. More >